Day 10 - It is so hard to say good

The last day we are here with our students is definitely bitter sweet.  We start class a little later to allow us to prepare for celebration.  Today we did something different, we ordered a cake with writing celebrating 5 years of art and then went to Nairobi Java with 2 big thermoses so we could get Kenyan Tea and serve it.  Both a cake and tea is a rare event for our students and the first time that we provided this at celebration.  We got to school, set up the cake and tea, got ready with all our certificates as the students poured in and did a daily meditation.  It was exciting, there was a buzz all about and for Margaret and I, it was somewhat painful.  You see these tremendous humans in front of you and you are really not prepared to say good bye for another year and as we are ending, it always feels like it has just begun. 

We both shared our perspective about this years amazing art that was created and asked what they thought.  They liked what they did and appreciated us there.  We also asked about their thoughts on art all year around in a more accessible environment and they all thought it would be great.  It keeps us thinking about how we could expand Art in Kibera to be more than this once a year episode.  Thinking thinking thinking..... Margaret made a point when we were talking about how well they had done and that we were filled with gratitude for this opportunity to work with them each year, she asked: "who knows the song "Don't stop believing"?  Blank looks, she asked them to look it up but to let this be what they leave with.  Don't stop believing... It is so true.  We believed we could bring an art program and it just celebrated 5 years.  Our students believe in their ability to excel and the 5 graduate institute students are all going to great colleges and universities and one to the Buruburu Institute of Fine Art, all because he was inspired by taking our classes 5 years ago.  They believe and we believe in them.  

As we looked around at the art and our students, it was overwhelming to think that we have been with some of these students for 5 years.  Students come up and shake your hard, some hug you, some tell you how much they appreciate you and some just smile and look like they have enjoyed their experience.  The hardest thing is when they run after you to hug you and tell you that they love you and will miss you.  They stop to ask for one more picture or just want to make sure that you know your presence meant something.  I cannot begin to tell you how hard it is to leave.  The funny thing is that I bet they have no idea how much they give us and it often seems like so much more than we give them.  They embrace us as if it might be the last time you will see them, and for some that may be true.  Enough already, I have tears in my eyes!

We left the school to run errands, one was to Kibera paper to get paper for the Children of Kibera Foundation in the US, then to lunch then to visit Anne Wangari at work and have tea with her colleagues and then out to dinner with Anne, Margaret and I.  Its all a process of ending the two weeks of our life here each year.  Last minute details, settling your accounts, visiting to see where friends work or what they do, dining to share that last meal, all as an attempt to keep the experience still going when in fact it is time to go home.

We are back at Pedro Arrupe Center, said good bye to Father Terry thanking him for another great experience and off to pack.  Sitting here typing this I know Margaret is still packing and I have completed my packing.  Our plane leaves at 8:15am starting the journey back to our lives, for me to my boys and partner and for Margaret back to her mother and brother.  Excited to be going home to see our loved ones and sad to be leaving so many behind.

Thank you for being on this journey with us.  I believe that this blog had some issues with ability to leave comments but I received nice notes that we were in your thoughts.  We never know what is next with this program, it could be next year again, or next month.  Stay tuned. 

Be well,

Charles and Margaret